Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Negotiation
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Jeon Gwang-il loaded the truck with ore and rushed to the players' shop workshop.
The metal workshop that repaired and crafted players' weapons.
"Aren't you the Deputy Director? To what do we owe the pleasure of your personal visit...?"
"I've come to inquire if a new tower material can be processed."
"Oh? Let's see."
At the mention of a new tower material, craftsmen swarmed over in a rush.
When he showed them the ore loaded on the truck,
"T-this looks like ore,"
"That's correct. Adamantite ore."
"What?"
"O-ore?"
"It's not a tower reward ingot?"
"Let me see too."
Each of them picked up a piece of ore, unable to hide their astonishment.
Who would have thought they'd see it as ore, having only ever seen it as metal ingots.
"To be sure, we'd have to smelt it."
"That's what I've come to request."
The craftsmen broke a few pieces of adamantite ore into smaller pieces with hammers, sorted them, and melted them in a small furnace.
Since they were experts in forging and smelting, the process went smoothly.
They melted the ore to extract the metal, filtered impurities from the molten metal, poured it into pre-made molds, and let it cool.
"It's real adamantite ore."
"The metal content is exceptionally high too. At least 50% or more."
Got it.
Smelting success.
"Can you first make leatherworking tools with this for us?"
"Tools for leather craftsmen to use, not tower conquest equipment? Well, we can make those quickly... but why?"
"It's a secret... I'm sorry."
"Hahaha, don't worry about it. It's government work, we'll make them for you right away. Should we make them from adamantite? How many sets do you need?"
"At least 100 sets."
"Got it. I'll contact you when they're all done."
With that, the leatherworking problem was solved.
The materials were sufficient.
How much could making leatherworking sets possibly cost?
They'd just bring more ore.
Jeon Gwang-il called Go Yeon-ha.
"CEO Go, we've secured the leatherworking tools. Please proceed with product development quickly."
- Thank you. I'll do my best to make a proper product.
Joo-hyuk also received a call from Jeon Gwang-il.
The ore smelting had concluded very successfully, he said.
The quality was also very good.
The metal content was higher than expected, so they'd get over 1 ton of ingots.
When he told Razix, the round-bodied being waddled back and forth, overjoyed and beside itself.
Seeing him that happy, well, guess we have to go mine more.
But he couldn't just keep mining ore.
The day was approaching.
A mere 3 days.
In 3 days, it would be time to welcome a new guest.
Along with conquering the 50th floor to check the special reward.
But just then, news playing on TV.
<United Arab Emirates formally requests temporary naturalization of Korean player from the Korean Awakening Management Bureau.>
<If successful, all national infrastructure projects in UAE will be contracted to Korean companies.>
<They promise to restore original nationality immediately after conquest is complete.>
<Awakening Management Bureau Chief Park Kyung-soo: Nothing has been decided yet.>
<The Blue House also remains silent. Will Player Nam Ga-eun's temporary naturalization be realized?>
<Public opposition boils over. Netizen opinion: Any politician supporting temporary naturalization won't see the next election.>
Crown Prince Bin salah's desperate request continued the next day as well.
<Crown Prince Binsalah states: Korea has many talented players. He requests generous mercy as a tower climbing powerhouse.>
<Contact the embassy anytime. We will wait. Blank check prepared, freedom of religion guaranteed....>
Joo-hyuk saw the news too but wasn't particularly interested.
If anything, they should offer a Grade Enhancement Rune.
Then he might consider it.
Do they think money solves everything?
What do they take the future world's richest person for?
He cut off his concern and went back to mining ore.
And that day drew closer.
The day before the Random Summon cooldown reset.
Joo-hyuk handed over the ore he'd gathered at the Management Bureau and returned to his penthouse.
Ding-dong, he opened the door and entered.
"Chung! Welcome back, sir?"
Today too, Kosak was meticulously wiping the living room glass with a clean microfiber towel.
"Loyal servant Kosak, helping Razix clean, sir. Hehehe."
"Hahaha, take it easy. Your body probably isn't in great shape."
"I'm fine, sir. Fine. Just getting flicked on the forehead won't affect my body, sir."
"Yeah, yeah."
He saw him get hit with a murderous flick and almost die.
It was his own fault.
It was Kosak who first tempted him to make a bet.
Joo-hyuk had business with Gyeon Dal-rae.
Since she was a shaman, she could probably do fortune-telling, right?
Joo-hyuk wasn't one to believe in such things, but having vividly experienced the effects of exorcisms and talismans, how could he not believe?
"I shall perform rice divination for you. I cannot determine detailed futures, but I should be able to glimpse at least fortune and misfortune."
Gyeon Dal-rae grabbed a handful of rice from the sink rice container.
Then she scattered it across the dining table.
"Hmm."
Gyeon Dal-rae observed the scattered rice grains, sometimes touching them.
Did she get a reading?
Was it auspicious (吉), inauspicious (凶), disaster (禍), or blessing (福)?
"The divination result has appeared."
"Oh! What is it?"
"Inauspiciousness blooms, but ultimately great fortune; a source of trouble arises but is covered by blessing."
Huh?
It's puzzling.
"So it's good in the end, right?"
"Ultimately, yes."
"Okay, thank you for your effort in the divination."
One thing done.
"Princess."
"Speak, my lord."
"Let's hold the exorcism ritual soon."
"I shall prepare."
The next day.
Joo-hyuk took a taxi.
The location for the exorcism ritual was, as discussed before, Manisan Mountain in Ganghwa.
He summoned Kosak first to scout the area as before, and summoned Gyeon Dal-rae and Gobang near Manisan.
Since it was a place with many people, Gyeon Dal-rae put up sacred ropes around the ritual site.
Finally, he summoned Razix too.
"Hoeng?"
Once the sacred ropes were up, people wouldn't pay any attention, she said.
Even if the drums pounded loudly.
They set up the ritual altar and began the ceremony.
Solemn, serious, dignified.
Razix also pressed its round body flat against the ground, going "hoeng hoeng" as it participated.
After that, they returned to the penthouse.
"Let's enter the 50th floor."
A mission appeared.
[Floor 50 Mission]
📍 Objective: Defeat 60 Scorpions of any type and 1 King Scorpion.
They began the conquest.
Clenching his teeth, as fast as possible, lest he lose the Platinum Badge by letting his guard down.
Joo-hyuk waited in the rear with Razix so the summons wouldn't get in the way.
Razix also had a serious expression.
It knew its fate depended on whether the Trait Enhancement Rune appeared or not.
If he performed a Random Summon, the catalog list had 6 people.
Let's say the Mad Demon didn't exist.
That left 5.
If trait enhancement didn't occur, he could only summon 4.
One remained.
He could rotate them, but in this situation, who would be the rotation?
No one but the worker.
The King Scorpion appeared.
It was no pushover.
Its huge pincer grabbed the enlarged Gobang's waist.
CRACK!
But Gobang spread the pincer to escape, breaking it in the opposite direction instead.
Kosak's sword energy severed the tail stinger as he slipped under the relatively soft belly and ruthlessly stabbed with his dagger.
But the creature's exoskeleton was too thick, and its resistance was desperate, so it didn't end easily.
It was quite a fierce battle.
Though of course, it was getting thoroughly beaten by the "fine" Gobang and "fine" Kosak.
For truly smooth hunting, it definitely seemed like one more dealer was needed.
From the 51st floor onward, it was the flying monster section, so preferably a dealer capable of ranged attacks.
But honestly, was it absolutely necessary to get one?
A dealer?
There already is one.
The already prepared dealer.
The dazzlingly talented Level 50 dealer who wielded a warhammer and Aegis with an energy shield, freely deploying Shadow Step and Primordial Thunderbolt Staff.
Ranged?
Couldn't he just make them come down?
He also had a pistol.
If it passed as a possession and he took it in, he could just shoot.
Or he could get a crossbow from the player shop and pull the flying ones down.
Right.
He didn't necessarily need trait enhancement.
What if he skiped the Random Summon too?
If he joined as a dealer himself, everything was solved.
However, the summons became even more frantic.
Razix also stood beside him, gripping his own collar tightly with both hands.
It would probably continue like that.
It's common sense that danger increased proportionally with floor level.
He suddenly remembered what the Mad Demon had said.
The statement that Earth's Black Tower would collapse here and there once it reached the 70s.
It wasn't wrong.
Even now, weren't there situations in the late 60s that couldn't be conquered without the Holy Sword?
One more thing.
How did Kosak's former summoner die?
Comparing it to his own situation, it wasn't hard to guess.
The floors kept rising, but trait enhancement didn't appear, and he continued conquest with limited personnel. Eventually, the summoner himself had to play the dealer role.
If he died, that was the end.
The summons couldn't come out, and the world perished due to the tower's collapse.
Putting it all together.
The reason the summons were obsessed with trait enhancement was clear.
Alright, let's do as they wish.
'How strong can I become by myself anyway? Talent, my foot.'
Joo-hyuk's class was Summoner.
What is the proper virtue of a summoner?
'Select good summons, increase simultaneous summon count, raise their grades through enhancement... That's my role.'
There was plenty of time.
Excluding a few countries, tower climbing floors worldwide were still in the 50s.
'Don't be hasty.'
Slowly.
Enjoying everything there was to enjoy.
Collecting Platinum Badges and claiming every special reward diligently.
And if a situation arose where the current personnel struggle?
'Unleash the Mad Demon, or something.'
At the very least, inside the tower, he should obey my orders.
His worries gradually faded.
Joo-hyuk finally reached a state of peace.
[S++ Conquest Reward] Platinum Badge awarded.
Back at the penthouse.
The summons stood in the living room with weary expressions.
Now it was time to open the inventory.
So the summons were extremely anxious.
In contrast, Joo-hyuk was utterly peaceful.
"...S-shall we check now, sir?"
He nodded to Kosak, imbuing it with the will that things would go well.
"Summoner, a warrior always..."
He nodded to Gobang with a look telling him not to worry.
"My lord, whatever the outcome, I serve only you..."
He met Gyeon Dal-rae's eyes and nodded with a benevolent expression.
"Hueee...."
He patted Razix's head and nodded with a smile asking for trust.
He had to keep his composure. Who else would?
'Open.'
Fifty dazzlingly shining Platinum Badges.
It began.
No matter how cold it was, the plum tree broke through adversity and bloomed its buds wide open.
The flower of special rewards should be like that too.
It would eventually bloom fully and soothe the hearts of Joo-hyuk and his summons.
Heaven helped those who helped themselves.
'Hmm.'
Multinational Tower Use Ticket.
'Hmm.'
This ticket again.
'Hmm.'
Two tickets total now.
"Hmm.... What the hell! Get lost!"
Isn't this going too far, even for a joke?
"I quit! I'm not doing this! I don't need it! Tower climbing? Go play foot volleyball!"
No matter how you think about it, this wasn't right.
"I'm giving up on everything!!! What kind of joke is this special reward?"
"I told you it was harsh! They're making a mockery of people."
"I'm going up to the 51st floor right now to abandon the mission and come out. Don't stop me! Platinum? Give it to the dogs."
"M-my lord, please calm yourself. It is all this maiden's fault. I shall willingly accept the crime of disturbing your heart with my clumsy divination and exorcism ritual."
"Hueeeeng!"
All hell broke loose.
Joo-hyuk took a deep breath for a moment.
He had gotten too excited.
Be more composed, especially at times like this.
"Damn, the more I think about it, the angrier I get."
Then Kosak, watching Joo-hyuk's mood, spoke.
"Since things have come to this, we must aim for the 55th-floor special reward, sir."
Truthfully, there was no other way.
"...Can we achieve S++ rank conquest with these personnel?"
"Proceed with the Random Summon, sir."
"There are only 4 slots?"
"Uh, there's no choice, sir. We'll have to exclude one person until the 55th floor, sir."
Who? Everyone's gaze converged on one place.
"Hue..."
Naturally, the non-combatant summon, the worker.
"Mr. Razix, are we cutting you?"
"With the sentiment of 'swallowing tears and suppressing anger'..."
What's with "swallowing tears and suppressing anger"? Is tower climbing the Romance of the Three Kingdoms?
"If we're doing that, we could also exclude Mr. Kosak. We have the Mad Demon too..."
Kosak's mouth dropped open.
"Huh? Come to think of it, that's perfect. Mr. Razix, the Mad Demon, and me, the three of us conquering the 51st floor would be no problem. Hahahaha. Should've done this from the start."
The atmosphere grew solemn.
"I, I was wrong, sir."
"Warrior apologizes to the Summoner. And to the worker."
"T-that is correct. Trait enhancement can be obtained not only from tower climbing special rewards. For example, items also..."
Wait!
That's right.
There is another way to obtain it.
"Now that you mention it, there is one person who might possess a Trait Enhancement Rune..."
"Gasp!"
Kosak sprang up and asked.
"Who is it, sir? Just tell me. Loyal servant Kosak will bring it immediately, sir."
"Well..."
Joo-hyuk explained to the summons.
About the UAE situation.
The reason the Crown Prince came to Korea.
And the uncomfortable relationship with Saudi Arabia.
The cause was competition for the Trait Enhancement Rune.
The UAE monopolized it, making Saudi furious.
It's not certain, but they might possess the rune.
Joo-hyuk's story ended.
Kosak, who had been listening silently, smiled and spoke.
"Summoner Bong, leave it to me, sir."
"...Leave what? Surely not theft?"
"Hey, I don't steal, sir. Unless there's a ribbon involved."
He'd rather it was theft.
"There's one thing I'm really good at besides assassination, sir."
"What is it?"
"Negotiation, sir. I'll meet them directly and negotiate, sir. In a direction where both sides can be satisfied."
A fairly confident expression.
One could guess what kind of negotiation he intended, but whether they'd hand it over willingly was questionable.
"...You really won't take it by force?"
"Yes, sir!"
"You won't kill or hurt anyone?"
"Yes, sir!"
"In a win-win way where both are satisfied?"
"Yes, sir!"
Should he trust him?
A quick news search showed Crown Prince Bin salah was still staying at a hotel in Korea.
He rented an entire floor.
"But! There is something I need, sir."
"Tell me."
"First, please give me the shield and warhammer you received before, Summoner Bong, sir."
The items received as special rewards.
The Warm Dawnlight's Golden Aegis, the Cold Twilight's Golden Warhammer.
He seemed to be referring to these two.
"They're practically brand new."
"That's why, sir."
"You're going to use these for negotiation?"
"Yes, sir. As gifts, sir. Don't I need to make a good impression before negotiating, sir?"
Hmm.
Now he's taking my weapons too.
There was nothing to be done.
Let's grasp at straws.
"Alright. I'll trust you once. But! It must be negotiation only. Violence is prohibited. On the other hand, I won't blame you even if you fail."
"Yes, sir!"
Suddenly, Gyeon Dal-rae's divination came to mind.
Fortune after misfortune, blessing after disaster.
Please let it be so.